Saturday, September 26, 2009

Picture Of A Tragedy

A news advisory flashes on Channel 2. The female anchor's stiff face and expressionless eyes could not hide the burden of announcing the troubling news. She said, with a tinge of tension in her voice, that Signal Number 2 was raised in several provinces, and that some areas of the city are now submerged under ten feet of water. As she delivers the news, a video footage shows a river somewhere in the East. It was swollen, its waters overrun vast tracks of land beyond its banks. And just beyond the foggy horizon, a silhouette of people - most of them men - appeared on camera. They were clinging on a cluster of debris, perhaps the remains of their once-shanty homes. And as waves upon waves of treacherous waters toss their flotsam, it hits a bridge - the bridge where the cameraman, a handful of bystanders and rescuers stood - and the debris disintegrates as the people who held on to dear life were being carried downstream.

As the camera pans to reveal the bigger picture, the bridge - which spans half a kilometer long is at the brink of being swallowed by the river as well.



Solace for those who are still trapped in their rooftops, soaked and freezing, while waiting for help to arrive.




11 comments:

Mike said...

That was in Marikina River. Let's just pray that the situation in the Metro will get better as soon as possible.

blagadag said...

i felt relief reading this post. it's good you're safe. regards and prayers.

period said...

it's good to know na safe ka po.

i was sheltered by our newsroom, bagamat ako ang naka-duty simula pa nuong isang araw at pauwi pa lang ako ngayong alas sais ng umaga

mag-iingat ka parati, ha?

mas magugulat ka idol kung napagawi ka sa bahagi ng san mateo sa rizal

engel said...

Ako i'm just thankful na our place here in pque is safe. but my prayers go out to my friends in marikina. i know lahat sila was affected by this calamity.

wanderingcommuter said...

got stranded while driving from alabang to katipunan, and we were able to witness the calamity by our own eyes... sobrang nakakakilabot...

nice piece kuya joms!

Anonymous said...

hoping everybody is ok. unknown_danger

Yj said...

prayers.... para sa mga naging biktima ng unos na ito.....

pie said...

was in pangasinan when all these happened. can't help but let out a gasp, seeing news footage of rivers running the streets of the metro. grabe talaga. hope everybody's safe.

JP said...

Kuya,

Naranasan namin kahapon kung gaano ka-tindi ang hirap na ma-trap sa bubong ng bahay sa loob ng ilang oras para lang mailigtas. lalo na ang nanay ko na nanatili lang doon sa buong magdamag kasama ang ilang kapitbahay para lang mailigtas ang mga gamit.

dahil dyan, inihahanda ko na ang entri na hango mula sa naging karanasan namin kahapon.

Random Student said...

I saw the same clip sa BBC website. It's tragic when we can witness it and yet we are helpless to save them.

wandering emo said...

Grabe.. I can't believe na magtatatlong taon na mula nung nangyare to... Nagrereview pa ako nun sa bahay since 2 weeks away na lang eh board exams ko na...Then bigla na lang kaming lumikas kasi pataas na yung tubig... Nakahawak pa sa braso ko yung lola ko habang naglalakad kami sa kalsada habang hanggang bewang ko na yung tubig. I'm 5'8" by the way, so ganun na sya kataas

Fortunately we are all alive...